a busy day of owls and skiing

If you listen carefully, you can hear the announcer saying his time at the end of the run! Turn up your sound!

This Saturday was perhaps the last day of skiing at our local ski mountain. It was the culminating parade of Zoomers, the junior racers, who were decked out in their colorful finery and tooting horns. (No pictures, I didn't think I had the camera...but I really DID. I just didn't know it.)

After the parade: a family fun race, in honor of Sally Deaver (an Olympic skier whose parents left a trust to the Ragged Mountain Ski Club!). Sadly, Mom failed in procuring a "low bib number" (which, if you are a librarian means something entirely different than if you are a ski racer), so Sylvan's number was 78. He spent a lot of time in line up top, tossing snowballs at other boys while he waited for his number to come up.

Barred Owl

Saw Whet Owl

Following a beautiful morning of warm sunshine and skiing, we hustled over to the Owl Birthday Party. The birthday girl wanted to be seated on Jonas's lap during the owl presentation by Kate of the Chewonki Foundation. In a word: Cute.

We hear recordings of owl calls, we heard about what they eat (and what eats them), how they got injured and ended up at Chewonki, etc. Owls are put together so amazingly! Do you know that their ears are located at different levels on their head? One is higher than the other so they can echolocate with precision!

This sweet dress was sitting ever-so attentively in front of us. I am a sucker for these girly dresses! It was a full and lovely day and I came home with a little sun on my cheeks.

Thursdays (and Birthday Part 2)

On Thursdays, we head to our little local ski mountain. Apparently it's the only ski mountain on the East Coast where you can view the ocean from the top. I am a non-skier, but I sit in the Lodge and read articles about youth in libraries and their research skills while knitting and talking to friends. I liken myself to a Roadie for a band, you know the person who handles the gear and the amps and the bottles of Vodka for the musicians? Except I am handling bags of boots and helmets and dry socks and neckwarmers ("warmneckers") and snacks, snacks, snacks (not Vodka). Plus my knitting and reading and whatever else.

The kids get out early on Thursdays, so for a few hours things are pretty mellow and it's a bunch of people I know. And you know, I *am* sending off my babies up the mountain without me. But that's the thing, is that it's a perfect way to gain that bit of independence: to explore the world and navigate lines and experience the injustice of teenagers who sometimes cut in line and take another run and ride up the lift and chat with someone you don't know and just keep going.

Because I have never been that worried about my kids talking to strangers; I want them to know how to talk to people in the big world and to know who feels like a safe person to approach. What I do hope is that they would know who and how and when to ask for help if they need it.

Today, adorably, Sylvan tacked himself on to a group of middle school students from our school because his usual ski buddies were not around. And it was really sweet to see all these extremely cool people taking the time to include him. At one point, he was skiing extra fast to catch up with a favorite older girl and he took a spill on the mountain! But two of the coolest cool boys happened to be right there to help him up, collect his poles, and encourage him. While one skied ahead to tell me, the other skied down slowly with Sylvan. I love that these older cool boys had the chance to show their big-hearted kindness today.

My sweet boy drawing his robots; this one is a collaboration. We have been inspired by the movie Robots and also by Miss Smith's wonderful robots.

Oh. And this is Punk Ida. Riding in her Red Wagon. Random, I know, but you see these kinds of things around our house sometimes. Like the Turkey Baster.

Here are two more pictures from my special day. If you look closely, you can see I am wearing my sweet felt pin from MiesMama! (Cake was lemon with vanilla bean frosting. Mmmmm.)